Muse Food – Bird Song And Other Sounds
(The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this brilliantly colored bird in Mexico.)
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I often wake to the birds singing. It is glorious, a celebration of being alive and of nature.
And it is part of the experience of living in our part of the world. If I set a story here, I might mention the birds singing.
Because the more senses we use in our descriptions, the more engaged and sucked into our worlds our readers usually become.
Take two minutes and listen, truly listen to everything you hear around you.
Note the hum of electricity, the rustle of wind through the leaves, the crunch of stones under the tires of a big truck.
All of this is setting and mentioning one or two of those sounds can add depth and interest to your stories.
(As an aside, I read a study recently that said listening to bird song can help to alleviate depression. So take the time to listen to our little feathered friends. That could increase your happiness!)
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Zumba In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
There was a long trek in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico from the cruise ship through the cruise terminal before we spilled into the city itself. Part of that route took us through some buildings with shops in them.
In the middle of one of those buildings, in an event space, a zumba (dance/exercise) class was happening.
The Dear Wonderful Hubby loves zumba.
(grins)
He asked through hand gestures if he could join them.
The instructor and the rest of the class welcomed him.
He had a great time and a lot of laughs and everyone was smiling by the end of it.
It made Puerto Vallarta, an already magical city, even more magical.
(smiles)
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Looking For Love In Puerto Vallarta
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were wandering down the Malecon, a pedestrian only boardwalk, in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
There were vendors set up along the route. And there was a lot of buying and selling.
One of the sales must not have happened.
Because a handsome male vendor, clasping a blouse, yelled after a curvy older woman, “Get your husband to buy it for you.”
She partially turned around and yelled back, “I don’t have a husband.”
The male vendor’s eyes lit up. “That’s even better.” He smiled. “Do you want a husband?”
The woman, clearly delighted with the offer, laughed. “No.”
The male vendor held out his arms. “I’m single too.” He tried again.
The woman laughed louder, shook her head and walked away with her head held high and more of a bounce in her step.
The male vendor watched her for a moment.
Then he sighed, lowered his arms and returned to his store to take care of the next prospective customer.
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Balandra Beach, Near La Paz, Mexico
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I took an Uber from the cruise port to Balandra Beach, a nature reserve near La Paz, Mexico.
Balandra Beach is semi-isolated and it is a cell/mobile phone dead zone. Which is SUCH a mini vacation because none of the visitors were talking on their phones. But plan for that. Arrange a ride back before you are dropped off. And bring everything you need.
There ARE usually taxis waiting at the entrance. And there are a few staff for emergencies. There are porta potties/toilets. There are no showers or snack bars or anything like that, however.
Balandra Beach is also restricted. At the time of writing this post, it had a maximum capacity of 400 people per visit. We reserved our half day visit online. And at the end of that time slot, the employees at this nature reserve walk through it, evicting the visitors.
But it was gorgeous and peaceful. The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I hiked all around the reserve and we swam and we completely relaxed, disconnecting from the world.
Then we took a taxi to the busier, livelier La Paz.
And that allowed us to experience the two vacation extremes.
(smiles)
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Collecting Seashells In Mexico
While we were last in Mexico, the Dear Wonderful Hubby and I took the bus to Playa Chileno, a beach near Cabo San Lucas. He snorkeled and saw some awesome fish. I relaxed on a big sun-warmed boulder and took in the beautiful scenery.
There were whales easily visible from the beach. There was a pirate ship. And there were some really interesting humans.
My favorite humans were a group of older ladies. They spilled out of their caravan of vehicles, chattering and laughing. I got the impression they were Mexican but from a different part of Mexico because they marveled at the beach and at the water and at the blue, blue sky.
I watched as they happily collected seashells and bits of washed up dead coral for their grandbabies back at home. One lady gave another lady some of her seashells because that friend would need more as she had MANY more grandbabies.
They brought their own snacks and drinks and seemed to be having the time of their lives.
That made me smile so hard! (grins)
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Muse Food – Pirate Ships In Cabo San Lucas And Other Adventures
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were trekking along Playa Chileno, a beach near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico when we were delighted to see this faux pirate ship rounding the bend.
We weren’t the only travelers captivated by this unexpected appearance. Visitors from all over the world watched the pirate ship’s approach with glee and wonder.
And it reminded me WHY many people read our stories.
They are looking for adventure, for something different than their regular lives. This doesn’t have to be space battles to the death or daring rescues (though those are fun – grins). It merely has to be unusual and, perhaps, unexpected.
Give them adventure.
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Muse Food – Average Guy Angels And The Unexpected
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted an average guy trying on a pair of angel wings in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.
The average guy seemed to love doing this. (He was surprised by the weight of those wings.) And everyone around him was smiling and laughing.
Because we don’t usually picture an angel as an average guy. They are usually stunningly beautiful and super fit and not wearing white running shoes with black socks. (grins)
Give your story an ‘average guy angel’, something unexpected, something enchanting.
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Local Pricing In Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I were watching a vendor operate near the Malecon in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. He was selling slices of mango, watermelon, and pineapple in a bag.
The vendor charged two prices for the same bag.
The tourists paid 250 pesos and had extremely quick, efficient and quiet service.
The locals paid 100 pesos and they were expected to engage in a lot of chatter with the vendor. (smiles) He looked as though he was telling them long, elaborate and very humorous stories.
There was an option to put spice on the fruit.
If you ever buy from that specific vendor, DO NOT take the spice option unless you REALLY like spice.
It was too much for many of the locals. They spluttered and coughed. Their faces turned red. Their eyes watered.
Which made the vendor laugh some more.
(grins)
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Muse Food – Poseidon / Neptune In Mazatlán And Other Gods
The Dear Wonderful Hubby and I spotted this GIANT statue of Poseidon / Neptune in Mazatlán, Mexico.
It was aptly situated next to the aquarium. (grins)
Almost every culture on Earth has at least one deity featured in its stories. It is human to want to credit the wonders of this planet and the often seemingly random events in our lives to a greater power.
I suspect this will also be true of many off planet cultures.
Who is your character’s deity (or deities)? What do these deities control? What do they look like? How do they act? What do THEY value?
This will tell you and readers a lot about your character’s concerns/beliefs/values.
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Muse Food – Mazatlán And Juxtaposition
We were trekking along a very urban part of Mazatlán, Mexico when we came across this body of water and the greenery surrounding it.
It delighted us.
I LOVE contrasts. They always grab my attention and delight me.
And I’m not alone. Many readers are intrigued by contrasts and juxtapositions also.
The hero with the scarred face and the sadness reflecting in his eyes. The heroine who kicks a$$ yet stops to pet a kitten. The desert planet with a green oasis in the middle of it. The sea licking at the sandy shore.
Use juxtaposition and contrasts to captivate your readers.
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